A big thank you to everyone who has been reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter. I had to make a new chapter, since when I wrote this story long ago, I set it two years into the future. I thought it needed a little building lol

CHAPTER 2

LOST IN A CASTLE

After eating, Katrina and the first years followed the Slytherin Prefects to the Slytherin Common Room. That was until Professor Snape caught Katrina's attention in the dungeons.

"Katrina." The Professor said as she and the first years passed him.

She stopped in her tracks, allowing some of the first years to bump into her. "Professor." She instantly smiled up at him. She walked over to him, losing her smile on the few steps she took toward him. He was sneering at the first years as they passed them by. "Professor, did I do something wrong?"

He was not looking at her, though he still had that intimidating sneer on his face as he turned to look at her. "No, Katrina, you did not."

She looked into his eyes, and they looked as if he had no life in them. "Did you wish to see me then, sir?"

This time he did smile. "Yes, I did." He placed his hand on the small of her back, leading her out of the dungeons. "The Headmaster thought it wise that I show you the grounds."

The started walking outside. Katrina wondered why she had been the only one. "Professor?" She stopped at the bottom of the steps.

"Yes." He answered, turning around. He noticed she was not closer to him. "Something wrong, Katrina?"

Slowly, she walked toward him. "I was wondering…" She turned her head back to the huge oak doors, "… why you're not showing the first years around as well."

His smile faded. "That is for the Prefects to do." He turned slightly away from her. "Now come. I will show you the boundaries and get to know you a little better."

They started walking, neither of them speaking for the longest times. Katrina decided to break the silence. "What would you like to know, sir?"

"How old are you?" He asked, walking through the grass.

Katrina kept her hands in her pockets, answering, "Fourteen. My birthday was last month." She took a chance asking him a question. "And how old are you, Professor?" She decided she would not look at him. She would rather not see the expression on his face, in case he became angry.

"And why is it you want to know my age for?"

She chanced a look at the Professor. Though she did not receive a smile, but a curious look. "One of my teachers once told me that there is nothing wrong with asking questions. She said, 'it broadens the mind.' and I intend on asking many questions."

"I would guess that does make sense." Snape said. "There is no getting around this, is there?"

Smiling a crooked smile, Katrina replied, "My teacher also told me, 'Never answer a question with a question.'" Her brows lifted, the smile never fading. "So, I'd say the answer is no."

Snape smiled a crooked smile as well. "I guess I should answer your question then. I am twenty-three."

Katrina's smile became fuller. "Must be ready to retire soon."

He ignored her reply and pointed. "This is the Black Lake. I must warn you, there is a Giant Squid hidden beneath the surface."

Her smile disappearing, she looked at Snape in a state of shock. "You- you mean…"

"Yes. Lets move on. Shall we?"

Taking over an hour, Snape finished the tour of the grounds with Katrina. They part ways after Snape shows Katrina the way to the Common Room, giving her the password. She finds her room, makes her bed, then decides to roam the Castle to find her classrooms. It didn't take long for her to find them all, the last being Divination.

It was well past curfew, that much she knew. For the life of her, she could not remember which way was which, making her that much more lost. Ready to give up, she sat on one of the many stair cases in the Castle, burying her head in her lap.

Someone sat beside her, and spoke. "I have found myself lost in this Castle too many times to remember." Dumbledore placed his hand on her arm as she pulled herself up. "Would you like for me to help you find your way?"

Not looking at the Headmaster, she wiped her eyes. "Yes, sir."

"Then shall we?" He asked after standing. As they descended the stairs he decided to strike up a conversation. "You must be careful with these. They can lead even me astray at times."

"Yes, sir." She had hung her head in shame. No one has ever seen her vulnerable. "Will I be punished for this?"

"It is the first night for a lot of students, Katrina. No one- not even you will be punished." Dumbledore said smiling. "Have you made many friends since arriving?"

"No." She answered truthfully. "I've tried, but, the other students didn't respond well to me." She looked over at him. "I don't mind. It will give me a better chance at passing my classes if I don't have any friends."

They reached the bottom staircase, Dumbledore replying, "All work and no play makes a wizard go insane."

"Headmaster, the corridors are clear of lost students." Professor Snape informed the Headmaster before he had seen Katrina. "And what are you doing out this late, Katrina?" He sounded nothing like the Professor she had spoken to earlier.

Speaking softly, not looking at either of the men before her, she answered, "Got lost, sir."

"Go, Katrina." Snape growled. "We will discuss your detention tomorrow." Katrina looked up at him, his expression not softening.

Looking at the Headmaster, Katrina tried to smile. "Good night, Headmaster." He nodded with a smile. She turned to Snape, "I'm sorry I broke the rules, sir. Good night."

After Katrina left, Dumbledore spoke. "I was not offering detention to any student out past curfew. It is after all the first night, Severus."

"It seems to get worse every year with the other Houses." Snape complained. "The only Slytherin to get lost in the Castle, or one to get caught anyway."

"Do not be too harsh on the child, Severus." Dumbledore sighted. "I feel the need to retire for the evening." He started walking away, stopped then turned to Snape saying, "That child has powers most know nothing about."

Snape returned to his chambers, thinking about what the Headmaster had told him. 'That child has more powers most know nothing about.' This kept replaying over and over in his mind, as he tossed and turned in his bed. What did the maddened old man mean by that? Why did he have such a soft spot for this girl anyway? Was it her smile? Was it possibly the fact that she had done what he had longed to do as a child-run away? Why of all things is he losing sleep over this girl! As he quieted his mind, he had finally fallen asleep. But, the girl did not leave him alone then either.

Her smile…the most beautiful thing he has ever seen in what seems decades. Her eyes, maybe-they would sparkle brighter than the stars in the nights sky. "You wanted to see me, Professor?" Katrina asked in his dream.

They were in his office, after classes had been dismissed for the day. He reclined back in his seat. "Where are you planning on staying after the term has ended?"

She did not look at him. "I don't know, sir. I guess The Leaky Cauldron. Maybe get a job there while school is out."

The chair Snape was sitting on squeaked as he leaned over toward his desk. "Is that what you wish to do, Katrina? You are too young to work as a barmaid."

"I have no where to go, sir." She sighed. "And, I need the money."

He reached out his hand to her. "What if I asked you to live in my house?" She looked up shock, though he continued. "You can clean for me, and I'll pay you by getting your books and such before the start of term."

"I would clean for you, sir. But, I don't think I should sleep in your home."

She was right. It would not be right for her to live with a man nine years her senior. Some day, she will be his, he thought.

Waking the next morning, Snape dressed, making his morning rounds, ending up in the House Common Room. Students huddled around with a lot of cheers, hisses and even screaming.

Pushing students aside, he reached the attraction; two girls- one with a wand, another without. He looked to the girl with the wand in her hand. "What do you plan on doing now without your wand, Freak?"

Snape then directed his attention to he other girl- Katrina. She looked a mess, still in her night clothes, though torn. They must have started up in the dormitories. The Head of House was about ready to put a halt to this, but before he could, the other girl yelled out a jinx toward Katrina. He could not even protect the new fourth year student in time. But, what he witnessed next, along with the other Slytherins, was that Katrina needed no wand. With her hands out stretched, she pulled the jinx into her hands, forming a ball. She clapped her hands together, ridding it all together. She stood, looked at the girl who was a few inches taller, and a few feet from her and punched the air toward her. When everyone turned to the sixth year student, she was laying on the floor, blood pouring from her nose.

"That is what I plan on doing with out my wand!" She walked to the girl, "Push my buttons again, and you'll get…"

"Enough!" Professor Snape bellowed in his demanding tone. Both girls turned to look at him. "Someone take Miss Hacker to the hospital wing." He pointed at Katrina. "Dress quickly. Then meet me in the potions room." His look was not a happy one, nor was it compassionate.

Then again, neither was Katrina's. "Yes, sir." She snapped back at him.

In the three years that Severus Snape has taught at Hogwarts, had he ever been spoken to like that by any student. Both Professor Snape and Katrina stood rooted to their spots, scowling at one another, almost as if they were going to start dueling. Slowly, yet deliberately, he walked toward her. "Not once since I started teaching, have I taken points from my own house." His anger was escalating, far beyond any anger he has felt before. Staring into her eyes he spoke through gritted teeth. "Fifty points. For fighting another student, and disrespecting your Head of House."

Stepping closer to him, she too spoke through gritted teeth. "Why not take a hundred points for my loathing and strong dislike toward you right now!"

Turning her toward the stairs which led to her room, he replied, "No more points, though you will have a harsher and unfortunately longer detention. Now go." He pushed her toward the stairs.

Katrina stopped at the entry, grabbed the other side of the wall, ramming her shoulder harshly against the wall. With a pop, she pushed her shoulder back in its socket. She turned to look at Professor Snape with a sneer then proceeded to her room.

Arriving, she stood at the end of her bed, moved her hands forward, up the bed, making it. Rummaging through her trunk, she repacked her books, and other things she had out, then dressed.

Leaving the Common Room, still angry, Katrina walked through the portrait hole, into the hallway. Not paying attention, she walked past the Potions Classroom. Snape was waiting, but did not expect to see her with her trunk in tow. Quickly, he walked out of the class yelling, "What are you doing, Katrina?"

Stopping, she hung her head in defeat for being caught. She whispered, "Leaving."

She heard his foot steps, but did not flee. She felt as if he had her frozen with the use of his wand. "I will ask again. What are you doing?"

Katrina felt tears on her cheeks. Refusing to show him how weak she felt, or rather how weak she actually was, she again whispered. "Leaving."

"And please entertain me as to why you're leaving?" Professor Snape was not budging.

Nor was Katrina. "Why stay when everyone is out to torture the 'new girl.'" she sued quotation marks wit her hands as she looked up at him.

He let out a sigh. Seeing her like this, brought memories back to him from his childhood. He wiped the tears from her stained cheeks. "Come with me. You will clean yourself up, then I'll escort you to breakfast. As for your detention, you will report to my office after classes are dismissed for the day."

The Professor grabbed her upper arm, walking her to his office, where Katrina sobered herself up. "I need to apologize to you, Professor. For disrespecting you in front of the other students in the Common Room."

"I need to ask, why were you fighting with another Slytherin?" He was sitting behind his desk, with Katrina sitting in a chair opposite him.

She wasn't looking at him, answering, "There were five other girls. All older than me." She leaned over, putting her head in her hands.

"Go on." Professor Snape advised. When she did not continue, he walked to her chair, kneeling down. Tired as he was, he gently touched her wrists, pulling them away. "Tell me what happened."

She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. The only thing she would say is, "I can't be weak. I need to be stronger than then."

"Katrina, stronger than whom?" He held her hands, trying in some way to console her. Even if he had a black heart, it still did beat.

She looked up at him, anger returning. "Them!" She pointed out the door, her meaning the other students. "My Parents! The Teachers! Even YOU!"

One of his hands automatically pushed her hair from her face as he touched her cheek. "You are not weak, Katrina."

"Look at me!" She cried out. "I am just like they told me; Pathetic, weak, absolutely no skill! I was a mistake the moment I came into this world."

"Katrina, you must calm yourself." For the first time in a very long time, he pulled her to him. It felt foreign to hug a human after so long, but he felt she needed some type of consoling.

He pulled her arms on his shoulders, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I'm sorry I'm so weak. Punish me for it. I promise I'll be stronger next time."

"Listen to me." Snape gently told her. "You are not weak. Do you hear me?" He let out a deep sigh. "Katrina, this is not one of my better subjects, but I will help you as best I can. Just because you cry, it does not mean you are weak. If I am not mistaken, you did not have a wand when you used magic earlier. Am I correct?"

"I did not, sir." She answered. Snape pulled her away slightly.

He looked deeply into her eyes, moving his hand back to her cheek. "That has shown me great strength. Not even I can use magic the way you had without a wand."

She wiped her face with her hand. "So, I'm not weak?" Snape shook his head.

"You have got more strength within you than I." He stood up, extending his hands for her to take. She noticed the glowing around their hands again as she placed hers in his. "I am famished as I am sure you are. And, since breakfast is almost over, I suggest you conjure us some food." He smiled down at her as she looked up at him.

Finally a smile crept across her lips. "No wand?"

"Unless you have yours with you."

Katrina pulled her wand out of her robes, conjuring a feast fit for a King. They ate quickly, and walked out into the hall where Katrina's trunk sat opened, all of her belongings thrown all over the floor. She bent over picking up one of her smallest books. "Excellent start to the school year, don't you think, Professor?"

"It seems that way." Snape sneered at the on lookers. Katrina walked around in a circle, around all of her belongings and walked back to Professor Snape. She stood in front of him, waving one arm in a circle, around the other that was out stretched toward her things. As she did, all her belongings floated in the air, entering her trunk. "Amazing." He said as Katrina turned around. "Non-verbal spells already?"

"Learned to do them in my first year." She smiled up at him. "Uhm, sir, would you happen to have my schedule?"

"Ahh, yes I do. Give me a moment or two, and I will bring it out to you." Snape calmly said.

Katrina took hold of her trunk, wheeling it back toward the Common Room. They almost bumped into each other as Snape left his office, and Katrina walking past. For the first time, Katrina laughed. "I guess I should watch where I'm going. I'm sorry, Professor."

"Quite alright, Katrina." He handed her her schedule for the year. "Let me take your trunk. I see you have Double Potions for your first class." He took hold of her trunk. "I hear the Potions Master is a grouchy old git."

Standing straight, she giggled. "I don't want to get on his bad side on the first day!" She started to run for the class room, stopped, turned and ran back. "I think I might need my Potions book, or I might get even more detentions." She stretched out the last word. "Uhm, right." She said getting the things she would need. "I'll see you in a few minutes." She turned to walk away, but as she walked she turned, smiling. "Grumpy old git."

For the first time in a very long time, he actually laughed. He had laughed before, though it was never this meaningful. He was in for one hell of a ride this school year.

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